Has anyone flown Allegiant Air? Their fares are really reasonable, but the reviews are not great online. We don’t need fancy, just safe and reliable
OT: airlines
- Thread starter AdaminLincoln
- Start date
How important is safety when you fly?
They can be ridiculously cheap, unless you want to bring luggage.
Safe? It's not like they've got drunk pilots or doors flying open midflight. I am sure they are FAA compliant.
For nominally priced tickets you get high luggage fees, limited times; and limited destinations. For a round trip you get to stay 3 to 4 days or over a week. You don't fly when you want but when they want.
I don't know what the complaints are about. It's a set of conditions that you may or may not be willing to engage in.
Safe? It's not like they've got drunk pilots or doors flying open midflight. I am sure they are FAA compliant.
For nominally priced tickets you get high luggage fees, limited times; and limited destinations. For a round trip you get to stay 3 to 4 days or over a week. You don't fly when you want but when they want.
I don't know what the complaints are about. It's a set of conditions that you may or may not be willing to engage in.
Last edited:
They bone you in the baggage department. Solution? Wear all of your clothes on the flight
Considering there hasn't been a fatal commercial airline crash in the United States for over a decade, it's safe to say all airlines are pretty safe. But at Allegiant, you are only buying a ticket to get on the plane with the advertised fare, if you want to choose your seat, carry/check items, etc - you will pay, so your final cost might be a bit above (and possibly, a lot above) the advertised fare.
They're fine. Fleet has been upgraded to newer planes. They canceled a flight out of G.I. last year due to a plane issue that probably cost them $40k in cash payouts.
are they affiliated with Allegiant Health? I suppose the airline could be a vertical integration for their health care business? jk
No complaints here. We've flown Allegiant from Rapid City to Vegas; Vegas to Mesa, Az; Rapid to Mesa. Most flights were on time, and safe, enjoyable direct flights - cheaper than we could have driven. I would have no qualms booking a flight!
Quick question for those that know.. Are masks still required at the airports in the US? I assume no, but wasn't sure, or if there are any new vaccination requirements to travel.
I'm flying back into the US after a year outside the country, and really excited to get back to civilization for a couple of months over the holidays.
I'm flying back into the US after a year outside the country, and really excited to get back to civilization for a couple of months over the holidays.
I flew back to the US a few weeks ago. No covid-related entry requirements and no masks at the airport
We've flown Allegiant from Grand Island to Phoenix a couple of times. It was fine although all planes feel like a city bus to me anymore.
Truly the No frills of flying. Uncomfortable seating, no perks, stewardesses will try to sell you a bunch of credit cards, and they'll nickel and dime you on fees. But, their planes don't fall out of the sky for the most part.
I would not ever fly on Allegiant. Money is not worth an unpleasant experience. I fly from Spokane to Denver probably 3-4 times per year on Southwest. I am either just going to Colorado or driving over to Nebraska. On Southwest I can take skis, golf clubs, coolers. I can also get to Phoenix, San Diego and Las Vegas very easily from Spokane. I always have a high boarding number, so I get on pretty fast. If we are going to my in-laws in North Carolina, Hawaii or if I want to get to Omaha fast, we take Alaska out of SeaTac because it offers non-stop flights. On Alaska flights we always upgrade to the seats just behind first class. If I am flying 5-6 hours to NC or Hawaii, I want to be comfortable. I dislike flying out of Seatac; traffic, parking, crowds, takes too long to take off whereas Spokane the airport is on my side of town so no traffic, they have a great private parking operation with great prices and service and when the door to the plane is closed the plane can go out to the runway and take off immediately. I think Alaska is a great airline as far as service goes. Never have a problem with Southwest. Southwest tends to change the times of their flights and are usually pretty crowded. Spokane to Denver is less than 2 hours so it typically is not too bad.
Someone I knew flew Allegiant from Mesa to GI last March (like early March maybe, when central NE had a late winter snow). The flight got within about 20 minutes of GI and decided they couldn't land there becasue of the snow. Plane turned around and went back to Mesa. Next flight out was of course the following Saturday (or Wednesday, don't recall which day the original flight was), which was not only several days later but also already full, so another week for anyone wanting the replacement flight. Most on the flight had to spend the night in a hotel, get to SkyHarbor and book their own replacement flight to Omaha on another airline (at same day or next day booking costs) and then rent a car and drive to GI - and then returning rental car to Omaha or Lincoln, or have someone come get them and then go get their car at GI airport. I heard of several families who spent more than $1,500 to get their family home. Last I heard, Allegiant offered $100 voucher per passenger. So, for the majority of the time, its probably not a bad deal, but if your flight gets cancelled for weather --- yikes.
Like others indicated, if you absolutely need to get someplace, that's the last airline I would fly. If they cancel your flight, you are stranded. If it's just a vacation and you can reschedule they are probably fine. But if you are trying to get home and your flight is canceled, you are really screwed. You have to weigh all the factors and make your own decision. I personally will never chance flying them but that's just me.
I am at the point in life where I am right there with you. If I was a starving twenty something that's another deal, but for me now, that airline would be a hard pass. In fact I'm not sure I'd chance it if you gave me their ticket. Not if it was an important trip anyway.
Allegiant is exactly what they advertise and that is low cost. I've flown Allegiant a few times back in the day and it was actually a pretty fun flight. They did this dollar game about 5 times where everyone threw a dollar with their seat number on it in a pillow case and drew out the dollar who won everything. The flight attendants had a ball and we drank a lot on the Mesa to Billings flight. Good times. I actually liked Allegiant better than Frontier and Frontier used to be fantastic until they changed their business model.
Last edited:
Modern horrific air travel is the direct result of people migrating to cheaper fares on bargain airlines, and the established carriers then having to follow suit or go under. Everything bad came from that, six seats across instead of five, overhead bin stuffing artists to avoid baggage fees, no food, dirty airplanes, and unwashed passengers. We brought it on ourselves.
The interesting thing is when I was a kid, the only thing the federal government regulated was radio, TV, highways, trains, and planes (true "interstate" concerns). Apportioning what carriers got what routes reduced the cut throat nature of the business. Now the feds regulate EVERYTHING - paint, faucets, airbags, gas mileage, drapes, ladders.....you name it. Except for Radio, TV and planes.
My only issue with them was cancelled flights an delayed flights but I haven’t used them since before COVID. They fly non-stop to some great spots. I’ve flown on them to get to LA. Flew in to Vegas then rented a car I was going to need anyway to drive to LA. Super cheap and easy.
The death of the old Frontier came when Southwest decided to invest heavily in its Denver operation. Southwest basically captured the alternative-to-United niche that Frontier was trying hard to fill in Denver. Frontier didn't voluntarily change its business model - it was purchased and gutted, with the new owner turning it into a no-frills airline. I flew the old Frontier quite often, and it was great. The current edition is truly awful.
I haven't totally sworn off the discount airlines, but I only use them if there's a big advantage in terms of schedule or travel time. (For example, I once flew Spirit back from a Caribbean business trip because the only alternative on Delta was through La Guardia, with a 3-hour layover.) But I don't use them just for price, because the savings usually isn't worth it.
Classmate of mine lives in Phoenix area. ALWAYS flies allegiant. Mainly because they use the airport on the east side of town rather than phx intl. He likes it
took Spirit a number of times to and from Florida - Puerto Rico.. that airline is as bare bones as it gets, and you get charged for every little cotton picking thing. I am surprised they don't bill you for hitting the attendant request button.
Southwest has been great for us. My wife has a A Southwest credit card and we often fly for free. She can transfer her “companion status” to her shopping /spa best lady friend and they both are flying free to Florida this week. That’s going to end up being an expensive “free” ticket.
Spirit was fine when my family used it a couple years ago.
Round trip Omaha to Orlando about $600 per. Spirit out of MCI(Kansas City)? $200 per.
So even with the $75 for parking and maybe $30 for gas for KC and back, saved plenty.
Now like others have said they do nickel and dime you. But we just packed out of our backpacks. Come to find out we prefer that. Not having to lug big ass luggage all over.
Did that for DC, NYC, and Boston, and plan on doing it for Japan as well.
There is a budget airline that does LAX to Tokyo. Zipair a subsidiary of JAL. Anyone ever use them? Not sure of using a budget for international flight.
Round trip Omaha to Orlando about $600 per. Spirit out of MCI(Kansas City)? $200 per.
So even with the $75 for parking and maybe $30 for gas for KC and back, saved plenty.
Now like others have said they do nickel and dime you. But we just packed out of our backpacks. Come to find out we prefer that. Not having to lug big ass luggage all over.
Did that for DC, NYC, and Boston, and plan on doing it for Japan as well.
There is a budget airline that does LAX to Tokyo. Zipair a subsidiary of JAL. Anyone ever use them? Not sure of using a budget for international flight.
Yeah I agree. Like I said, I only took it back from the Dominican Republic because the alternative was a horrible route through LaGuardia. And that was before the ongoing improvements at LaGuardia, when a long layover there made you feel like you were in a freaking refugee camp. I was traveling with equipment and had no choice but to check a bag, so I bought Spirit's "The Works" ticket that covered all the stuff they usually nickel and dime you for.
All went surprisingly well until we landed in Denver. Spirit didn't lose my checked bag, but I had to wait almost 90 minutes at the carousel to retrieve it. Apparently their one and only baggage handler had gone home for the night.
Yes I like Southwest just fine. It's not always cheaper than United, but that's because Southwest's presence in Denver keeps United from gouging us on fares. There are still people who frown on Southwest because they remember when you had to line up at the gate an hour early to get a decent seat, but those days are long gone. I always get an aisle seat in the first 10 or 15 rows on SW, and that works fine for me.
We are United people. Have their credit card as well as the lounge access. If you are an airport drinker or have kids, there is nothing better than United Club that I have experienced. Our bill would be close to $300 bucks with all the snacks, drinks, booze, etc. For us, the club access is a must.
At times. The kid stuff if what gets expensive as well as my wife drinks wine, so that is also ridiculous.
